Forced-flow electrochemical batteries are already well known in the art and are, at present, the object of much research with a view to providing non-polluting vehicles.
Among these batteries, air-zinc systems offer considerable advantages for such applications.
It is briefly stated for reference that an elementary cell of such a battery comprises an active catalytic part in which there flows an alkaline solution containing zinc powder in suspension; on coming into contact with the active part, air oxidizes. The zinc and hence an electromotive force is generated.
To constitute a battery, it is therefore necessary to couple such elementary cells together both electrically and hydraulically.
These cells are fed with the alkaline solution in series and these same cells, are connected electrically in series.
In this way, a set of cells or module comprises a limited number of cells and it is, of course, possible to couple such modules together with a view to forming a battery having predetermined rated electrical characteristics.
Such modules can of course be hydraulically fed in series with said alkaline solution but particular precautions must be taken when electrically coupling them, as set forth by the Applicant in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,903 dated Aug. 31, 1976, for an "Electric safety coupling for a forced flow electro-chemical battery."
However, the Applicant has found that it is also possible to feed the modules hydraulically in parallel if particular precautions are also taken, in this case with a view to avoiding certain operational risks already mentioned in said U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,903 and also other hazards which will be set forth in the descriptive part of the present specification.